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. 2023 Dec 20;16(1):377.
doi: 10.1186/s13104-023-06645-z.

Total laryngectomy and readmission: causes, rates and predictors

Almoaidbellah Rammal  1 , Abdulsalam Alqutub  2 , Omar Alsulami  3 , Naif Mozahim  3 , Sara Mozahim  3 , Mohammed Awadh  3 , Muatasaim Hakami  1 , Rahaf AlThomali  1 , Ahmed Mogharbel  1   4
Affiliations

Total laryngectomy and readmission: causes, rates and predictors

Almoaidbellah Rammal et al. BMC Res Notes. .

Abstract

Background: Total laryngectomy (TL) is a complex procedure, and patients undergoing TL are at high risk for readmission, which exposes them to hospital-acquired complications. Readmission rate is a metric for quality of care. We aimed to identify the rate, causes, and predictors of hospital readmission within 60 days after discharge following TL.

Methods: This is a 12-year retrospective study where we included all patients undergoing TL in a single tertiary care center between 2008 and 2022. Patient charts were reviewed for demographics, comorbidities, and causes for readmission.

Results: Of 83 patients who underwent TL, 12 (14.50%) were readmitted within 60 days. Common causes were surgical site infection (33.33%) and mucocutaneous fistula (25%). Significant predictors for readmission were tobacco use (P = 0.003), African ethnicity (P = 0.004), being unmarried (P < 0.001), lower preoperative serum albumin (P < 0.001), higher preoperative TSH (P = 0.03), higher preoperative neutrophil count (P = 0.035), higher American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score (P = 0.028), and higher Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) score (P = 0.029).

Conclusion: One in every seven patients were readmitted following TL. Frequent causes include wound infection and fistulas. Predictors include preoperative hypoalbuminemia, hypothyroidism, African ethnicity, being unmarried, tobacco use, and a higher baseline burden of comorbidities. Such factors can be targeted to reduce hospital readmission rates.

Keywords: Ethnicity; Hypoalbuminemia; Laryngectomy; Patient readmission; Retrospective studies; Surgical wound Infection.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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